Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a microwave-heatable defrosting apparatus and, more particularly, to a portable microwave-heatable defrosting apparatus including a thermal gel pack positionable adjacent vehicle windows for melting snow/ice therefrom.
2. Prior Art
Heating of water to the boiling point requires a fairly long period of time as distinguished from the significantly shorter time of heating a gel pack by microwave energy as the pot or container for the pack must be fairly large for accommodating the pack without the pack touching the usual metal sides of the pot which would melt and damage the plastic envelope of the pack. This size pot would necessitate utilizing a large quantity of water thereby requiring a longer period of time for heating the water to its boiling point.
Furthermore, when heating a gel package in boiling water in a pan or pot on a heater unit, the pan would be at the highest temperature which would damage, as by melting the plastic, present packages as the operator has no control over the pan temperature. Additionally when utilizing a large pan containing a large volume of water, the gel pack contacted the sides and bottom of the pan which were at a higher temperature than the water thereby resulting in damage to the envelope of the gel-pack.
Accordingly, a need remains for a microwavable defrosting apparatus including a suitable thermal gel pack to overcome the above-noted shortcomings.
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a microwavable defrosting pad. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by a microwave-heatable apparatus for defrosting a windshield wherein the apparatus includes a housing that has first and second sections integral with each other and selectively movable between open and closed positions.
The housing may have a substantially serpentine shape with a triangular cross-section, or may have an alternate non-linear shape with an annular cross-section, for example. Of course, alternate embodiments of the present apparatus are also possible to accommodate vehicles space limitations and therefore any particular shape of the present invention is not germane to its scope of novelty over the prior art of record.
The apparatus may further include a temperature-displaying member attached to either the first or second sections so that a user can advantageously monitor the temperature of the heat-retaining members. The first and second sections each has an elongated slot formed therein for advantageously allowing air to flow upwardly therethrough respectively. The present invention may further include a non-skid outer layer connected preferably to the bottom of the housing and for assisting to maintain the apparatus at a predetermined position.
The first and second sections each has a chamber defined about the respective slots thereof and a plurality of heat-absorbing members positioned within the chambers respectively for dissipating thermal energy so that as air passes upwardly through the slots the air will become heated to advantageously melt ice and snow away from a windshield. The plurality of heat-absorbing members may each comprise a solution preferably including approximately 1.0 to 10.0 percent water, approximately 0.5 to 5.0 percent sodium chloride, and approximately 85.0 to 99.0 percent hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.